Thoughts for another day

June 9, 2006

Today's verse: Lk. 9:23. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (KJV).

Walking with the Lord means acceptance of suffering as part of life. We grow up with the belief that suffering must be hated and removed from our lives as soon as possible. And therefore, when a little bit of suffering comes, it unnerves us and we become uncomfortable.

What does Jesus teach us? That suffering is an essential part of life. Look at the above verse, it says: take up his cross daily… But the Lord isn’t talking of suffering for the sake of suffering but for the sake of the Kingdom. More, that we may talk of the Cross and its message. And in my opinion, this cross is not a physical cross but the cross of persecution; the cross of insults; and such like. For it is only in that context that denial of self enables one to carry it and be selfless about it, for the sake of Jesus Christ.

My friend, you and I have to learn a lot about this. If you ask about myself, I’d say, I’m a long way from carrying the cross. My temperament and psychological make up do not allow me to accept insults, and abasement for self. Sometimes I really dread the thought of how I will miss the bus to the Kingdom if I react the way I react now. I feel there is so much to ‘un-learn’ what the world has taught us. There is so much of God that we need to learn and there is so much to change in oneself. Oh the road ahead, seems long and weary and difficult. But then it has to be done. Not by your own might but by His Grace. Rest assured He will do it for you.
My brother or sister in Christ, let us cry out and pray today, ‘Oh Lord, change my heart, not my neighbor’s, not my friend’s, not my brother’s or my wife’s, but Lord my heart as I surrender it to You…Somehow I’m sure the Lord’s peace will fall upon us. Amen.